ZOONOTIC DISEASES

DEFINITION: Diseases of animals that can be transmitted to humans.

CAUSES: bacteria, viruses, parasites
COMMON RELATED TERMINOLOGIES
- Accidental host - accidentally harbors organism that is not ordinarily parasitic in particular species.
- Definitive / primary/ final - host organism in which parasite passes its adult and sexual existence.
- Intermediate host - organism in which parasite passes its larval or nonsexual existence.
- Reservoir host - organism or population that directly or indirectly transmits a pathogen while being virtually immune
to its effects
1. LEPTOSPIROSIS

1. Pathogenic - maintained in nature In renal tubules certain animals e.g rat

2. Saprophytic (free living and generally considered not to cause disease) - found in many
types of wet or humid environments ranging from surface waters and moist soil to tap
water.
Intro: Characteristic Hosts&Mode of Human Transmission Predisposing factors
• zoonosis of global • Tightly coiled, • Major reservoir hosts - Rodents and
importance. thin, flexible domestic mammals (cattle, pigs, dogs) Occupational
• common in tropical and spirochaetes • Infected animals may excrete exposure: agricultural
subtropical areas with high (differs from leptospires in their urine intermittently or and livestock
rainfall. other regularly for months/years/their lifetime. activities (cattle
• Malaysia is an endemic spirochaetes by • Human: accidental host farmers, veterinary
area for Leptospirosis. The the presence of • In rodents, infection produces chronic, staff, tin miners,
first case in 1925. end hooks) asymptomatic carriage. farmers, paddy
• Caused by infection with • Motile • infect livestock and domestic and wild planters)
pathogenic Leptospira • Size: 0.1-0.2 × animals and cause a range of disease Recreational
species. 5-15µm manifestations and carrier states. exposure: swimming,
•Mode of Human Transmission: fishing, canoeing and
1. Direct contact with reservoir animals rafting. Poor hygienic
2. Indirect contact - by exposure to condition at the
environmental surface water or soil that recreational areas will
is contaminated with their urine attract rodents and
[entry into human blood stream via cuts, pollute the water and
skin abrasions, mucous membranes 🡪 soil and lead to risk of
enter bloodstream and disseminate infection to human
throughout the body tissue]
Clinical Features Lab diagnosis Management Prevention & control
• 4 broad clinical categories: • Clinical Anicteric form: 1. Prophylactic
1. a mild/ anicteric form/ samples: whole Oral Ampicillin/Amoxicillin/Doxycycline measure: Doxycycline
influenza-like illness - (fever, blood, serum, 200mg stat (before
headache, myalgia, CSF, urine or Icteric form: involving in high risks
abdominal pain, nausea & tissue (depends IV Penicillin/ Ampicillin/ Amoxicillin activities)
vomiting) to the clinical 2. Effective rat control
2. Weil's syndrome presentation) 3. Avoidance of
characterised by jaundice, • Types of tests: infected urine &
renal failure, haemorrhage 1. Microscopic known contaminated
and myocarditis with (dark field water sources.
arrhythmias (Severe /Icteric microscope)
form) examination of
3.meningitis/ centrifuged urine
meningoencephalitis 2. Culture –
4. pulmonary haemorrhage difficult to grow
with respiratory failure. & takes time
• Causes of death include (must keep for at
renal failure least 8w)
cardiopulmonary failure, 3. Serology
and widespread - ELISA,
haemorrhage MAT(considered
the gold standard
in diagnosing
leptospirosis – to
detect antibody)
4. PCR

2.RABIES
1. Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.
2. Dogs are the most important reservoir for rabies viruses, and dog bites account for >99% of human cases.
3. The rabies virus infects the CNS, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.
Intro Clinical features Lab diagnosis
Rabies is a life-threatening • The early symptoms of rabies: fever, headache, Tests are performed on
disease: and general weakness or discomfort. samples of:
10/1000 of cases are • Disease progresses, more specific symptoms 1. Saliva - virus isolation, RT-
reported annually in appear include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or PCR.
endemic countries (mainly partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, 2. Serum - antibody
in Africa and Asia). hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing, hydrophobia. 3. CSF - antibody
• Death usually occurs within days of onset of these 4. Skin biopsies of hair follicles
symptoms. at the nape of the neck (for
rabies antigen in the
cutaneous nerves at the base
of hair follicles.)

Management Prevention
1. Wound cleansing 1. Avoiding contact with rabid animals.
2. Rabies Post exposure vaccinations 2. Keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats and
• Consists of dose of human rabies immunoglobulin and dogs.
four doses of rabies vaccine given on the day of the 3. Take your pet to your veterinarian on a regular basis.
exposure, and then again on days 3, 7, and 14. 4. Maintain control of pets by keeping them under direct
• The vaccine is given in a muscle, usually in the upper supervision.
arm. 5. Call animal control to remove all stray animals from
• This set of vaccinations is highly effective at preventing your neighborhood since
rabies if given as soon as possible following an exposure. these animals may be unvaccinated or ill
• If a person has previously received postexposure
vaccinations or received preexposure vaccinations, only
two doses of vaccine (on the day of exposure and then 3
days later) are needed. Human rabies immunoglobulin is
not required.

3.SCRUB TYPHUS
1. Mite-borne infectious disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (previously called Rickettsia tsutsugamushi).
2. “tsutsugamushi” - 2 Japanese words: tsutsuga=means something small and dangerous and mushi = creature.
Intro: Mode of human transmission Clinical Manifestations
Endemic in Korea, China, • Mode of transmission: Mite bite • Illness varies from mild and self-limiting to
Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, • Vector: mite, species include: fatal.
India, Thailand, Malaysia, 1. Leptotrombidium deliense - forest • Incubation period: 6–21 days
and northern portions of 2. L. fletcheri - lalang fields • Symptoms & signs: fever, headache, myalgia,
Australia. 3. L.arenicola - sandy beaches. cough, and gastrointestinal • symptoms, rash,
• After hatching, infected larval mites eschar, lymphadenopathy
 (chiggers, the only stage that feeds on • Classic case description: After 4-6 days of
a host) inoculate organisms into the illness, eschar where the chigger feeds, regional
skin. lymphadenopathy, and a maculopapular rash
• Reservoirs: rodent & mite starting on the trunk can be seen.
• Severe cases: encephalitis and interstitial
pneumonia, pulmonary edema, congestive
heart failure, circulatory collapse, and CNS
dysfunction, including delirium, confusion, and
seizures.
• Scrub typhus lasts for 14 to 21 days without
treatment
Diagnosis Treatment Prevention
1. clinical history (including • doxycycline (100 mg bid orally for 7– • Prophylactic administration of doxycycline
visit to an endemic area) 15 days)
2. physical findings • chloramphenicol (500 mg qid orally
3. confirmed by serologic for 7–15 days).
testing or biopsy of an • Azithromycin and clarithromycin.
eschar.
4. Serologic assays – to
detect antibody (IFA,
indirect
immunoperoxidase, and
enzyme immunoassays)

4.BRUCELLOSIS
1. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella spp.
2. Brucella spp. mainly infect: [cattle, swine, goats, sheep, dogs]
3. 6 species of Brucella, 4 of which can infect humans.
4. B. melitensis - the most virulent and responsible for the majority of human
infections. Typically infects goat
5. Brucella abortus - cattle
6. Brucella suis - swine
7. Brucella canis - dog
Modes of Human Transmission. Clinical features
1. Direct contact: direct contact with infected animals • Symptoms similar to flu: fever, headaches, back
(presence of skin wound) pains, lethargy
2. Ingestion: eating or drinking contaminated animal products • CNS & cardiac manifestations
3. Inhalation: inhaling airborne agents. • Chronic symptoms: recurrent fevers, joint pain,
• The majority of human cases are caused by ingesting and fatigue.
unpasteurized milk or cheese from infected goats or sheep.
• Person-to-person transmission is rare.
Lab diagnosis Treatment Prevention
• Detection of Brucella organisms in • combination of: 1. Control and elimination of
samples of blood or bone marrow. doxycycline and rifampin for 6w to the infection in animals
• Antibody detection. prevent reoccurring infection. (Vaccination of cattle)
• Depending on timing of treatment 2. Pasteurisation of milk
and severity of illness, recovery may 3. Eradication by testing and
take a few weeks to several months. culling
• Mortality is low (<2%), and usually
associated with endocarditis.